An Academic Autobiography
What are the purposes of American public schools? How do you study something that you are already so familiar with? Most of us have experienced at least 12 years in the system and you might think you know its features pretty well. Indeed, new teachers often begin their teaching by acting out what they remember about their own schooling or favorite teacher instead of incorporating new understandings they were exposed to in their college coursework.
We begin our study of American schools with our own experience. In the Academic Autobiography project, we are reading about the academic life of Cedric Jennings in A Hope in the Unseen, and then reflecting on our own academic histories to answer the question:
What are the purposes and/or role of American public schools from the perspectives of its students?
Our autobiographies are also a chance to writewritewrite. Writing is an excellent way of organizing your thinking so that it seems reasonable, interesting, and understandable by others. We will write our biographies in five segments. Each segment should be drafted, read by a critical friend or two, and eventually shared on this wikispace. The segments and their due dates are:
1. Description of the influence of your early schooling. Due 9/10/14 Revisions due 9/12/14 2. Description of high school influences. Due 9/15/14 Revisions due 9/17/14 3. Description of how your family and out of school influences contributed to your academic development. Due 9/19/14 Revisions due 9/22/14 4. A Personal Expertise Statement - Due 9/24/14; Revisions due on 9/26/14
5. Personal Profile/Introduction page - Due: 9/28/14 (No revisions necessary)
Early Schooling
What do you remember about your elementary and middle school experiences? What did you learn that has had a lasting influence? Who were your most influential teachers and/or caregivers? Why?
What role(s) did your high school play in where you are now academically? What curricular and extracurricular experiences shaped your outlook, goals, and abilities? Who were your most influential teachers and/or coaches? Why?
How did your life outside of school contribute to your academic success? What role, if any, did your family play? How did your life outside of school influence how you performed in school and what you chose to study?
Describe something that you know how to do well. How do you know you do it well? How did you get interested in this topic? How did you develop your expertise? How do you hope to use this knowledge/skill in the future? Students in 2011 identified a minimum for what this essay should include:
What are the purposes of American public schools? How do you study something that you are already so familiar with? Most of us have experienced at least 12 years in the system and you might think you know its features pretty well. Indeed, new teachers often begin their teaching by acting out what they remember about their own schooling or favorite teacher instead of incorporating new understandings they were exposed to in their college coursework.
We begin our study of American schools with our own experience. In the Academic Autobiography project, we are reading about the academic life of Cedric Jennings in A Hope in the Unseen, and then reflecting on our own academic histories to answer the question:
What are the purposes and/or role of American public schools from the perspectives of its students?
Our autobiographies are also a chance to write write write. Writing is an excellent way of organizing your thinking so that it seems reasonable, interesting, and understandable by others. We will write our biographies in five segments. Each segment should be drafted, read by a critical friend or two, and eventually shared on this wikispace. The segments and their due dates are:
1. Description of the influence of your early schooling. Due 9/10/14 Revisions due 9/12/14
2. Description of high school influences. Due 9/15/14 Revisions due 9/17/14
3. Description of how your family and out of school influences contributed to your academic development. Due 9/19/14 Revisions due 9/22/14
4. A Personal Expertise Statement - Due 9/24/14; Revisions due on 9/26/14
5. Personal Profile/Introduction page - Due: 9/28/14 (No revisions necessary)
Early Schooling
What do you remember about your elementary and middle school experiences? What did you learn that has had a lasting influence? Who were your most influential teachers and/or caregivers? Why?* RebeccaB
* SamanthaC
* JohnC
* MarisaD
* JayneE
* KaylaM
* TiffanyG
* HaleyG
* ArianaG
* JennaG
* MattH
* KathrynH
* ElizabethH
* JessicaK
* SarahM
* AlyssaN
* BryanN
* StephanieO
* JacobS
* AmberS
KianaA
SarahB
JuliaC
MeaganC
AllisonC
BayleeD
HalleG
SamK
ToryK
IleanaL
RebeccaL
SamanthaL
MelanieM
MadelineM
VictoriaP
RyanS
AdamS
AmandaW
EmmaZ
High School Experiences
What role(s) did your high school play in where you are now academically? What curricular and extracurricular experiences shaped your outlook, goals, and abilities? Who were your most influential teachers and/or coaches? Why?* RebeccaB
* SamanthaC
* JohnC
* MarisaD
* JayneE
* KaylaM
* TiffanyG
* HaleyG
* ArianaG
* JennaG
* MattH
* KathrynH
* ElizabethH
* JessicaK
* SarahM
* AlyssaN
* BryanN
* StephanieO
* JacobS
* AmberS
Non-School Academic Influences
How did your life outside of school contribute to your academic success? What role, if any, did your family play? How did your life outside of school influence how you performed in school and what you chose to study?* RebeccaB
* SamanthaC
* JohnC
* MarisaD
* JayneE
* KaylaM
* TiffanyG
* HaleyG
* ArianaG
* JennaG
* MattH
* KathrynH
* ElizabethH
* JessicaK
* SarahM
* AlyssaN
* BryanN
* StephanieO
* JacobS
* AmberS
Personal Expertise Statement
Describe something that you know how to do well. How do you know you do it well? How did you get interested in this topic? How did you develop your expertise? How do you hope to use this knowledge/skill in the future? Students in 2011 identified a minimum for what this essay should include: